I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure people don’t belong in zoos. People, after all, aren’t animals. Of course, when it comes to Africa and Africans, we all know such thinking does not apply. And here I thought the scientific community had settled this once and for all. Now, the Houston Zoo is continuing in this grand tradition with its forthcoming African Forest exhibit, construction on which started this month. Coming December 2010: Travel to Africa—No Passport Needed!
Well then, let’s travel, shall we? An “extraordinary adventure” awaits!
By extraordinary adventure, they mean “the thrill of seeing Africa” (remember your first time?), as you are taken ”on an entertaining journey through one of the world’s most mysterious and beautiful places.” Oh my! As an added bonus, the “African Forest will also serve as a dynamic living classroom emphasizing the importance of conserving our natural world.” The ultimate irony here is that Shell—that would be the oil company—is one of their donors.
But there is no irony at the African Forest. There are chimpanzees, rhinos and giraffes, among which you will be able to dine “al fresco” at the “African-Themed Restaurant.” Just like they do in Africa! Except with air-conditioning! In this forest, though, it’s not just about the “awe-inspiring animals, magnificent wildlife and beautiful habitats”—it’s also about the people, or rather the “pygmys.” There will be “Pygmy Huts” (life-size replicas!), which “will provide an educational opportunity to learn about the Pygmy people.” There will also be a “Pygmy Village and Campground,” which will include “African art, history and folklore” (complete with musical instruments and artifacts!).
I did mention that this was a zoo, right?
A state-of-the-art one, in fact. The chimps and cheetahs get their own bedrooms, and the giraffes get new “luxurious” ones. The “Pygmy Village,” though, only has huts and “a rustic outdoor shower.” It seems the Village only just “recently got running water.” They’re “pygmys,” you see. And lest you think we’re talking about the entirety of Africa here, the zoo only means to recreate “an environment reminiscent of the forest landscape of western equatorial Africa.” So that would be the western part of Africa, the country. Looking for complexity? Or, you know, accuracy? You won’t find it here. But you may find a nicely packaged soundtrack of the “boom of African drums [that] echo across a wooded landscape.” Can’t wait!
Those of you with some disposable income will be glad to know that you can “take ownership” of the African Forest. (Uh-oh, I sense a scramble coming on…) Got $1,000,000? You can name the “Pygmy Village and Campground!” Not so well-endowed? $15,000 will get your name on a bench. But hurry up, there’s only 7 left! To get the whole thing, King Leopold-style, all you need is $20,000,000.
Shocking? Perhaps. Surprising? No. As with all tropes about Africa and Africans, this has been done before, perhaps nowhere more prominently than at that bastion of credibility, the American Museum of Natural History—emphasis on natural and history. There you’ll find the Hall of African Mammals, alongside the Hall of African Peoples. This “culture hall” is one of a few dedicated to the various “peoples” of the world—non-European peoples to be precise. Because clearly, European peoples and their descendants do not belong in such a place.
h/t Racialicious
faux outrage
The Oakland Zoo has one as well:
http://zunguzungu.wordpress.com/2009/07/14/ota-benga-lives/
@zunguzungu: thanks for the tip! interesting response you got from the museum’s director – also your email to him was so much nicer than mine would have been
in an interview i read, the houston zoo’s project director basically says the same thing about wanting to make it a cultural experience, etc. however they try to justify it though, it is still way problematic, to put it mildly.
Rope a dope, I believe it’s called…
@zunguzungu: LOL. You ain’t never lie.
Clearly this article is based entirely upon a lack of proper information regarding the project as a whole. I have seen this same reaction to many exhibits throughout the country that incorporate a cultural aspect. Last I checked, an educational facility such as a zoo should not be limited to one specific topic of education. I suppose the author of this article would prefer that zoos be only for the animals and expects that these animals be placed in small cages to emphasize that they have been completely removed from their natural context. Bear in mind, context not only means the immediate natural environment, but also the human surroundings. Yes, that includes cultural elements. Please take the time to fully understand a situation and evaluate it in a mature and subjective nature before criticizing said situation.
@Free Thought: thanks for the comment. If you’ve got more information on this project, or other such “cultural” exhibits, then please pass it along. Everything from this post I culled from the Houston Zoo’s website.
In any case, my understanding is that zoos are defined as parks or institutions in which animals are kept for exhibition to the public. Why then are people now being included? And, as was my point with the AMNH, it is always the same peoples that are exhibited in this manner. Of course, if you’ve got examples of zoos and other such projects that include European peoples and their descendants as “natural” features of the exhibit, then please pass those along. I’d be curious to see that too.
On another note, I actually personally don’t care for zoos in general, and don’t think animals belong in them either (but that’s another post for another time).